Bloodforge Review

Is Climax's Bloodforge a bloody good time or just a bloody mess?

A little of both.

Bloodforge Key Features:

•Stunning art style
•A dark tale of revenge, betrayal, and destiny
•Visceral bloody combat

Bloodforge follows the story of Crom, a warrior who has given up battle to live life with his family, but the gods have other plans for Crom. The gods trick Crom into slaying his family and in doing so set Crom off on a bloody quest for vengence.

Visually, Bloodforge has few equals on Xbox Live Arcade. The art style for Bloodforge is very dark and moody, reminiscent of the movie 300, which sets the tone of the game perfectly. Fans of blood and gore are in for a treat. It is nearly impossible to go 2 minutes without dismembering an enemy and having blood spray onto your screen.

Every character model from Crom to smallest of enemies is very well detailed. As with the character models the enviroments are equally well designed and detailed but sadly there is not enough variety in the enviroments to keep things fresh and exciting.

While the game looks amazing it does tend to have pop in and screen tearing and the frame rate can drop when 5 or more enemies are on the screen at one time, which is a big problem in a hack and slash game of this nature.

Every hack and slash game either lives or dies by its combat. Luckily, Bloodforge's combat is surprisingly deep. Crom will eventually have access to 4 different weapon types that each have plenty of combos to learn and master. Besides weapons, Crom can also call on the help of gods to punish his enemies. Each god that Crom can summon can be powered up by offering a blood sacrifice. The blood that Crom sacrifices is collected from pulling off devastating combos. The more brutal the combo the more blood that is collected.


While Bloodforge does have very enjoyable combat it gets very repetitive about half way through the game. There are very few enemy types you will encounter and the ones that you do all look similiar. The game is set on a very linear path and never strays from it. If Bloodforge had a few more gameplay elements like platforming or puzzle solving to help break up the monotomy of killing enemy after enemy then the game could have been something truly special. The lack of variety really hurts the overall experience of the game.

The camera also does little to help with your battle against the gods. In crowds of enemies it is almost always to close to the action and will even get stuck on objects in the background which would always end up in a death that could have easily been avoided. Out of combat the camera works exactly as it should, but if you can't see your enemy how can you fight them?

Bloodforge is a single player game but it has a very fun challenge mode to help keep things interesting. In the challenge mode you can either create a challenge for your friends to complete or vice versa. This small addition helps keep things fresh even when the story mode has long been finished. If you have competetive friends it will always push you to best their score.






PROS

+Excellent graphics style
+Deep combat
+Challenges


CONS

-Lack of variety
-Camera



OVERALL

Bloodforge is easily one of the best looking games on XBLA and is also one of the few games in its genre. With a better camera system and few gameplay elements added it could have really offered some variety to the game and been something really special but as it is, its just another medicore hack and slash game.

3.5/5

Review copy provided by the Publisher.

Arkham City GOTY Edition teases new Harley Quinn DLC

After releaseing what many consider to be one of the greatest games of all time, Rocksteady is gearing up to release the Game of the Year Edition of Batman: Arkham City. The content will include the all the DLC including: Catwoman, Nightwing, and Robin character packs, all of the challenge map packs and the skins pack. In addition to all of the DLC Rocksteady will be throwing in a download for the DC animated movie Batman: Year One. The best part though is that Rocksteady have finaly officially announced the new Harley Quinn DLC titled Harley Quinn's Revenge as well as referring to it as the "Final Chapter". Check out the video below to see the new GOTY trailer as well as Harley Quinn's new outfit.

Update:Harley Quinn's Revenge will be available to download individually May, 30th for 800 MS points.

Batman: Arkham City GOTY Edition will be released on May 29th.

The Witcher 2 Enhanced Edition Review

Was CDProjekt able to convert one of the best PC games of last year to the Xbox 360, or should it have stayed out of the reach of console gamers?

The Witcher 2 Enhanced Edition Key Features:

•Immersive, mature, non-linear story
•Spectacular, dynamic and tactical combat system
•Realistic, vast game world
•Ultra-modern, cutting-edge REDengine technology

The Witcher 2 experience is now enhanced thanks to:

• 4 hours of never seen before quests, locations and characters – all these features are added in the final chapter of the game and help the player unveil some secretes of the deep intrigue. The 2 new quest introduce 3 new major characters and are set in new locations: an underground system of chambers beneath Loc Muine and a temperate coniferous forest in the Loc Muine mountains and a secret cave passage,

• A new 3,5 minute CG intro - a jaw-dropping animation created by BAFTA winner and Acadamy- award nominee Tomasz Bagiński. It will make you tremble when you see what forces Geralt is up against in this spectacular animation,

• Two 3 minute recap movies – short 2D animations which present The Witcher profession to Xbox 360 players and give an overview of the events in The Witcher 1,

• An extended outro – thanks to the 12 outro final boards the player will know how the path he has chosen for Geralt changed the history of the people he met and the history of the whole realm. These short cutscenes will create a 2,5 minute summary of the most important decisions the player made

• New cut scenes – these in game cinematics provide deeper insight into the complex history

• New transitional cinematics – short films that summarize each chapter of the game and showing the player the world location he’s traveling to

Players assume the role of Geralt of Rivia, who has been trained to be the ultimate killing machine, a witcher. The story begins with Geralt playing bodyguard to king Foltest, the current ruler of the Kingdom of Temerian. During the final assault against Baroness La Valette, king Foltest is assassinated and Geralt is accused of the murder and arrested. This is when the game truly begins.

One of the greatest things about The Witcher 2, is just how well the story and characters are written. This isn't your typical fantasy story. There are of course elves and dwarves, but the way the backgrounds of these races are written is very refreshing. It is obvious from the start that this is a very mature game and it's not because of violence, blood, and nudity,(though it does have plenty of that), it's because it takes its story and characters serious which is a breath of fresh air in the proposed mature titles that are out there now.


The quests in The Witcher 2 are also extremely well written. The side quests never make the player feel that they are being set out to be someone's errand boy unlike most rpgs. During these quests there are no clear black and white, good or evil choices, it is all presented in a very complex shades of grey approch which can have unexpected consequences.If you get tired of questing there are other distractions to be found, usually in an inn or tavern. Geralt can earn some extra spending money by playing a game of dice poker or by doing some arm wrestling and can even get into fist fights that are played out through quick-time events.

The PC version of The Witcher 2 is one of the most impressive looking titles out there. Thankfully, CD Projekt was able the beauty of the PC to the XBox 360 while only having to sacrafice very little detail. The game runs on what would be considered medium graphics setting on the PC which you can tell in the lighting and colors of the XBox 360 version. The fog also can cover wide open outdoor views, limiting the distance you can view. There can also be very minor texture pop-in as well as some very small screan tearing but all of this is almost completely removed if you install the game to the hard drive, which is highly recommended. With all of those things The Witcher 2 is still one of the most beautiful games available on the Xbox 360, which is impressive considering the console is almost 7 years old.

The controls for the most part feel natural and a very responsive on an Xbox controller. The only problem with the controls is that the button placement for heavy and light attacks are in different positions than in most action games, which really isn't a problem with the controls it just takes some getting used to.

The inventory screen is another thing that will take some getting used to. Scrolling through a bunch of inventory, journal, and stat pages would be a lot easier if you were able to use the control sticks instead of the LB an RB buttons, but after an hour or two with it, it becomes easier to navigate.

How is the audio in The Witcher 2? One word. Amazing. Just like the story and graphics, the soundtrack and voice acting are top notch. The sweeping score from attacking a castle to the ambient sounds of a swamp are all crystal clear and sound phenomenal. The voice acting never sounds out of place and keeps you immersed in the world that CD Projekt has created.



PROS
+Amazing Graphics
+Excellent soundtrack and voice acting
+A world that feels alive
+A very mature story

CONS
-Minor screen tearing
-Inventory sreen
-Learning curve


OVERALL

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition is easily one of the best PC games to date and now it can add best Xbox 360 game to that list of accomplishments. The Witcher 2 is what all other RPGs strive to be. If you own an Xbox 360 then you owe it to yourself to play this game.

4.5/5

Review copy provided by the Publisher.

Dragon's Dogma Demo Coming April 24

For those of you who are having trouble deciding if you want to pick up Capcom's new fantasy game, Dragon's Dogma, the decision is about to get easier.

Capcom announced today that the previously announced playable demo of Capcom’s forthcoming open world action–RPG, Dragon’s Dogma, will be available to download globally via Xbox LIVE Marketplace Tuesday, April 24.



"With your party of three Pawns, the demo allows you to experience the different styles of two of the game’s character classes in two challenging encounters.



A melee specialist skilled in both attacks and counterattacks, as the Fighter you will make your way through underground tunnels and chambers before taking on the deadly Chimerain a Prologue quest, set before the events of the main game.



Swift and nimble, the Strider’s weapons of choice are bow and daggers, use them well if you are to defeat the mighty Griffin in the open plains surrounding the capital of Gransys.



Let your imagination run wild and design both your playable character and main Pawn using the game’s incredibly in-depth character creation tools before you take on the Griffin; purchasers of Dragon’s Dogma will then be able to export both these characters into the full game on its release."



Dragon’s Dogma is scheduled for release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in North America on May 22 and across Europe on May 25.

Skyrim to get Kinect Voice Commands

Bethesda Softworks announced this morning that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is getting Kinect support. The game's Kinect support will add in more than 200 different Voice Commands for Kinect owners at some point this month via a title update.

Using Kinect's voice recognition capabilities, players will easily be able to perform Dragon Shouts, Hotkey Equipping, Follower Commands, as well as control all menus with their voice.



Later this month before the update goes live a full list of the 200 voice commands will be released.

Lost Planet 3 Announced

Not only did Capcom announce a new release date for Resident Evil 6 at their Captivate event in Rome but they also announced a sequel to the Lost Planet series.

The extreme and unpredictable conditions that characterized the Lost Planet® series return, harsher than ever before in Lost Planet 3. Players take on the role of Jim, a utility rig pilot who has left Earth to take on a hazardous but lucrative contract on E.D.N. III. Delivering a diverse range of gameplay, including third-person on-foot battles and intense first-person utility rig action, players will need to brave the uncharted terrain, hostile climate and threat of indigenous Akrid creatures. With a number of multiplayer modes and a compelling single player experience, Lost Planet 3 will delve deeper into the Lost Planet universe, uncovering hidden truths when it releases in early 2013.

Resident Evil 6 Gets a New Release Date

Capcom announced today, at its Captivate event in Rome, that Resident Evil 6 has been given a new release date of October 6th. Rarely do games release dates get pushed up instead of being pushed back.

Captivate represented the first opportunity for media to see the highly anticipated Resident Evil 6 in action, with the game’s development team showcasing one of Leon S. Kennedy’s missions. Full of tension, the action has Leon and partner Helena Harper searching for an escape route from the Ivy University campus, the site of the most recent bioterrorist outbreak and the zombies that now stalk its hallways and grounds.

Boarderlands 2 Mechromancer

Gearbox Software revealed a new class for Borderlands 2 during PAX East. Called the Mechromancer, the character will be a mix of human and machine and will be able to control D374-TP (Deathtrap) robots.

The Mechromancer will be available after the launch of the game as downloadable content. Gearbox plans to make the content free to players who pre-order the game, and available at a price "comparable to most DLC" for other players.

Borderlands 2 launches on September 18th.

New Devil May Cry Trailer

Ninja Theory's new DmC trailer has naked guys, demons, and a ferris wheel...then it just gets weird.

Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS Processor Review

Are you a gamer that likes to play late into the night and that doesn't want to disturb your spouse or roomates from the booming sound of explosions and gunfire? Then Turtle Beach may have the answer for you.

The DSS itself is a small and very light device with an overall good build quality. The LEDs shine blue and bright. The unit gives you two audio input options, one is your basic 3.5mm jack for Pro Logic II and the other is an Optical TOSLINK for giving you 7.1 surround sound support. Your output options are your standard 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB slot for headphones that need to be powered. The USB slot comes in very handy since it eliminates the need of taking up more USB slots on your Xbox 360. To power the DSS you just simply plug it into any USB on your console or PC. Once its powered there are 4 bright blue led lights that are clearly labled digital in, Pro Logic II, Dolby Digital and Dolby Bypass. The Dolby Bypass LED also doubles as a button to select which sound mode you would like to hear. On the side below the LED lights is a dial to change how much bass boost you want for a paticular game. On the opisite side is a switch to turn the DSS on or off.

Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS Processor features
•Stero output with volume control
•Headphone Amplifier: Stero 35mW/ch, THD <1% •Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz •150MIPS Digital Signal Processor for Dolby Processing •Optical TOSLINK digital audio input compatible with 48kHz digital audio stream •Maximum analog stereo input with volume control on maximum setting: 2Vpp (700mV rms). Input sensitivity may be adjusted to accept higher level signals by lowering the volume control •Dimensions: Height 3.0 in (7.5 cm), width 2.125 in (5.5 cm), depth 0.75 in (2cm) •Weight: 1.4 Oz (40g) •Power requirements: 5VDC @120mA max Shooters, such as Battlefield and Call of Duty, really sound like the action is going on around you, with bullets whizzing by and explosions booming in your ear. Another thing to note is how much it amplifies footsteps and where they were coming from, making it easier to get the jump on your opponent before they get you. It also worked well with music games such as Rock Band 3 which made it much easier to hear the music track over the beating of drumsticks on the drums. So what if a game doesn't support Dolby Digital 5.1? The DSS automatically converts the sound to Dolby Pro Logic, which simulates surround sound. Another great feature of the Ear Force DSS is that it can be used with almost anything that has an audio source. You can use it with your PC, Home Theater System, iPod, iPhone, Zune HD or mp3 player and not just your video game console, which is great if you want to watch a late night movie without waking your family or the neighbors. Probably the biggest disadvantage the DSS has is its price point. At $89.95, it will probably steer most causal gamers away but at a price that I feel more audiophiles and hardcore gamers would have no problem buying.

Pros
•Works with any stereo headset.
•Sounds great. The difference between regular stereo sound and DSS can really be heard.
•Having a built-in USB port helps for headsets that need to be plugged in for power.

Cons
•Price point may be to steep for some people.
•Can add more wires.
•Bass boost could add a little more punch.

OVERALL

The DSS offers a great surround sound option in a small package, which can be good for gamers that don’t have a lot of space for a surround sound system or that don't want to wake the family or neighbors. However, casual gamers will probably be turned away by the price point, while hardcore gamers and audiophiles wont mind paying the price.

4/5

Tron Controller Review

Is PDP's Tron controller as good as Microsoft's 1st-party controllers or should Tron fans be the only ones to pick it up?

Before even taking the controller out of the box it is evident that PDP put a lot of work into making it's Tron controller a collector's item. The box has a door that opens to reveal a window that makes the controller clearly visible. On the backside of the door is a Certificate labeling the controllers limited production number as well as a message from PDP about the production of the controller.

Once the controller is removed from the box the first thing many people will notice is that it is wired. This isn't PDP's fault however, Microsoft simply just doesn't allow its 3rd-party controllers to be wireless. Luckily PDP gave its controller six feet of cord to give plenty of room to maneuver.

After the controller is plugged in and the console powered up, the Tron controller comes to life in a bright blue light. LEDs run along the top and grips of the controller as well as a Tron logo that sits on the bottom of the controller just above the port for the headset. Overall it looks fantastic.

The controller not ony looks great but it feels great. The shoulder and trigger buttons feel very responsive, with just the right amount of resistance when fully depressed. The foam-rubber grips are soft and very comfortable, providing longer gaming sessions with less discomfort. The thumbsticks on the otherhand feel looser then Microsoft's 1st-party controllers. However, they are just as responsive as Microsfts controllers.

The D-pad is the most notable improvement over Microsft's controller. PDP ditches the disc style pad in favor of a more raised and pronounced pad, which gives a tighter more responsive feel. The vibration function is just as strong as Microsft's controller and more powerful than most 3rd-party controllers.

Pros
•Face and shoulder buttons feel responsive.
•D-pad is far superior to most of Microsoft's 1st-party controllers.
•Looks like the collector's item that it's meant to be.

Cons
•Wired.
•Thumbsticks feel a little looser than Microsoft's 1st-party controllers.
•Pricier than most 3rd-party controllers

OVERALL

The controllers look and feel like collector's items, from the unique Tron styling to the amount of care PDP put into the packaging. The only draw backs being that the controller is wired and that at $49.99 the price is higher than most 3rd-party controllers. Tron fans and gamers alike are sure to get alot of use out of these controllers.


4/5

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Breach Review

When you start playing Breach the first thing your going to notice is that this isn't your typical fast-paced run-and-gun shoot fest that is Call of Duty. Atomic created a more "realistic" shooter that feels more like Rainbow Six or Counter strike. Thats not to say it doesn't have it's comparisons to Call of Duty as well.

Breach features:
•Active Cover
•23 real-life weapons
•11 real-life spy gadgets
•13 perks
•5 character classes. ◦Rifleman
◦Gunner
◦Support
◦Sniper
◦Recon(which unlocks after you master the Rifleman and Sniper classes)

•5 Maps ◦Passage
◦Ascent
◦Silo
◦Peak
◦Nocturnal

•5 Game Types ◦Infiltration
◦Convoy
◦Retrieval
◦Team Deathmatch
◦Sole Survivor


Players earn experience points in matches from killing the oposition or completing team based goals. Once enough experience points are gained your class is leveled up. The experience points can also be used to buy new weapons, perks, and gadgets that are unlocked from leveling up. Perks and gadgets range from being able to take extra headshot damage(Thick Skull) to being able to spot the glare of a snipers scope(IR Sniper Detector).

If this all sounds familiar, it's becasue it does. Call of Duty has been doing this for years, which doean't mean this is a bad thing. Adding these persistant features fleshes the game out and offers more content. Your basically getting a $60 retail games multiplayer experience for a quarter of the price.

The games ships with five maps. The maps range from snowy mountain tops to a compound in Asia that takes place at night. The graphics aren't as good as the official videos made them out to be, but they do get the job done. It's obvious that Atomic put a great deal of processing power in the destructible enviroments. Using the Hydrogen Engine, Atomic has created an impressive amount of destruction. Buildings can be dropped on top of players, bridges can be destroyed making access to a favorite sniping location difficult or impossible. While the destruction is amazing, sadly not everything can be destroyed.

The sound is very good. Every weapon has a distinct sound and feel to them. Bullets whiz by your head and footsteps are loud allowing you to tell which way someone is coming. Explosions boom, even when they are nowhere near you.

There are five game modes:
1.Infiltration:A Conquest-like Game Type in which both teams compete to capture and hold strategic locations throughout the environment. Points are earned for time in possession of each location.
2.Convoy: Similar to Assault and Defend games, except, the target of the assault is a convoy of moving vehicles. One team advances the convoy to safety while the opposing team tries to stop it. Roadblocks and a destructible environment build on the challenge.
3.Retrieval: Each of the two teams compete to locate a randomly placed Bioweapon canister and deliver it to the drop-off location. Points are scored when a successful retrieval has occurred.
4.Team Deathmatch: Each of the two teams compete in a race to eliminate enemy forces and reach the score threshold. Points are earned for the total elimination of opposing team members.
5.Sole Survivor: Eliminate each player on the other team. There are no respawns.

All gametypes can be played in hardcore mode as well. Hardcore mode removes the HUD, decreased the players health, and also removes the kill cam.

The gameplay itself will feel familiar with anyone who has played any other FPS, but those who have played Rainbow Six Vegas will feel the most comfortable.The active cover system works really well alowing you to blind fire or shoot from cover. Matches are slower and more strategic and never feel fast paced and frantic, though it does have its moments of intense firefights especially during the convoy game type. Strategies and maps are constantly evolving thanks to the destructible maps, meaning your games will never play out the same way twice.

Pros
•Realistic Gameplay
•Convoy Mode.
•Destructible enviroments.
•Price.

Cons
•Not everything is destructible.
•Graphics. Not as pretty as the official videos make it out to be.
•Controls. Using the D-pad to cycle weapons takes some getting used to.
•No single-player campain.

OVERALL

At $15(1200 MS points) you get the multiplayer experience of a $60 retail game. Hopefully if the community is strong enough Atomic will continue to support it with more maps and game types. Fans of Rainbow Six and Counter Strike will surely eat this game up, espeacially with the ever changing maps due to the destructible enviroments. With tons of unlocks and customization this one will keep you busy for a long time.


4/5

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 Review

Does Fatshark's sequel to the original Bionic Commando Rearmed come out swinging or is it a swing and a miss?

Nathan “Radd” Spencer returns as the daring elite soldier equipped with his famous bionic arm. Spencer will have to face his greatest challenge yet as the evil General Sabio is on the brink of launching a deadly missile strike.

Rearmed 2 follows the formula of every other Bionic Commando that has come before it, but comes off a little more watered-down than the first Rearmed.

Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 Features
•New weapons, attacks and enhancements for the all-purpose bionic arm
•New platforming mechanics provides more freedom and challenges. Now the impossible is within your “leap!”
•The bionic arm isn’t just for combat! Plenty of platforming based puzzles will put your bionic swinging skills to the test.
•2-player campaign co-op play is back and better than ever.
•Classic platforming action with enhanced graphics and better camera functionality.
•All new musical score inspired by NES-era sound effects, produced by the same creative mind behind the original Bionic Commando Rearmed soundtrack.

Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 has many new additions, such as weapons and abilities. These new weapons and abilities are placed throughout the game, many require you to have other abilites to reach them. Out of all of these abilites and weapons you will probably only use one of them, which is a health regeneration upgrade, and that is found early on in the game. The game only allows you to have one ability equipped at a time, and to change them you have to go into a sub-menu via the pause button, which really slows the game down. The weapons on the other hand can be cycled with the shoulder buttons. Why the abilites can't be cycled the same way leaves one to wonder, especially when there is a free button not being used.

The other big addition to the game is the ability to jump. "Jumping" in Bionic Commando has always been achieved through the use of Nathan "Radd" Spencer's bionic arm, which acts a grappling hook. The addition of the jump button has drastically changed the way the levels are designed, making them feel less dangerous and acrobatic. The result of this makes it feel less like a Bionic Commando game and more like your typical platformer.

The graphics, in comparison to the first Rearmed, are choppy and not quiet as smooth. The placement of the camera is pulled out way to far, making everything feel to small and give the action little to no impact.

The sound on the other hand is one of the few things that make this feel like a traditional Bionic Commando title.The sound effects and musical score feel like they were ripped straight out of a NES game and give it that nastolgiac feeling of times long gone.

Challenge rooms are back and just as hard as ever, giving the hardcore Bionic Commando fans reason to keep playing long after the campaign has ended.

Pros
•Challenge rooms.
•Soundtrack is fantastic.

Cons
•Jump Button.
•level design.
•Price.





OVERALL

Adding a jump button completely changes the way the levels are designed, making the game feel less like Bionic Commando. The challenge rooms are just as challenging as ever and the soundtrack continues in the Bionic Commando tradition of being great. At $15(1200 MS points) your paying to much. $10(800 ms points) feels more like the price of admission. Only the hardcore Bionic Commando fans will enoy it.

3/5

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Hard Corps: Uprising Review

Hard Corps: Uprising is what Contra fans have been waiting for, and a whole lot more.

Developed by Arc System Works, Hard Corps: Uprising is a prequel to the 1994 Sega Genesis game Contra: Hard corps. Uprising is the first Contra game not to carry the brand name in the title. The intention is to make the Hard Corps series into a brand new franchise and Arc System Works has delivered what could possibly be the best entry in the entire Contra franchise.

Hard Corps: Uprising features:
•Exciting run-and-gun gameplay with beautifully rendered 2.5D graphics from Arc System Works
•Arcade mode features 2D run-and-gun gameplay that stays true to the genre's hardcore roots
•All new RISING mode allows players to train and level their soldier and purchase power-up items
•Classic and all-new boss battles to challenge and thrill
•Co-operate with gamers all over the world in Online Co-Op mode and compete via online leaderboards

The minute the game starts you will have a hard time trying to pick your jaw up off the floor. The game is beautiful. Anyone familiar with Arc Systems knows that they are no stranger to gorgeous hand drawn animation, especially in their series of Guilty Gear and and Blaze Blue games. Each level is constantly giving you something new to look at from a desert full of sandworms and jungles with tree-top snipers to underground caves to sneaking into a secret lab. The attention to detail is phenomenal and is hands down the best looking game released on Xbox Live Arcade to date.

The guitar heavy soundtrack to Rising is incredible. Listening to the shredding guitars of each level brings back memories of 8-bit and 16-bit gaming. It makes it nearly impossible to keep a smile from forming on your face. The sound effects are good but some of them seem like they are stock and that they you more than likely have heard them before, like the sounds of the motorcycles for example. The voice acting can be a little cheesy as well, but overall the sounds shortcomings are easily overlooked by Rising's incredible soundtrack.


The game plays like your traditional Contra game. You make your way from point A to point B destroying everything in your path. Players are given two weapon slots that can be changed on the fly so you can decide which weapon is the right one for the job. Power-ups can also be collected giving you new guns like grenade launchers, spread shot, and the homing laser all of which can be upgraded to make them shoot faster and cause more damage.

Bosses are huge, tough, and plentiful. One boss chases you, while your driving a motorcycle, in mining vehicle that can drill below the surface to try and to drill its way up through you and at the same time your dodging machine gun fire and flamethrowers.

Sound to easy?

How about trying to avoid becoming dinner for a 500 foot Sandworm in a sea of quicksand while dodging laser fire and continuously spawning baby sandworms?

Thats just two of the four bosses in the first level alone, all of which require different tactics and strategies.

The real meat and potatoes of the game is the new Rising mode. This mode takes your score and converts it into a currency which can be used to purchase new weapon upgrades, extra lives and health bars, new abilities, and a faster dash speed. The prices of the upgrades are perfectly spread out, giving you the feeling that if you play just one more round you could buy the new ability that you have been saving up for that will help you defeat the boss that you have been stuck on.

If that sounds like it is making the game sound to easy and dumbed down, don't worry there is also an Arcade Mode for the hardcore to prove their worth.

Arcade Mode is your traditional hardcore "Contra" experience. Players are given just three lives and and three continues to make it through all eight stages. Only the most experienced players will make it through this gauntlet of controller-throwing insanity.

PROS

Rising Mode
Co-Op
Beautiful hand-drawn animation
Incredible Soundtrack

CONS

Cheesy voice acting
Average sound effects



OVERALL

At $15(1200 ms points) this is a game every gamer should have in their library. Beautiful hand-drawn animation and an incredible soundtrack are a feast for both the eyes and ears, but none of that would matter if the game didn't play as good as it looks and sounds. Fortunately, Arc Systems doesn't disappoint by giving players fast and frantic shoot-em-up action that Contra fans have been craving for. From the unforgivably hardcore Arcade mode to the deep RPG style upgrade system of Rising Mode, this game will have you coming back again and again. Hard Corps: Uprising is an instant classic and the perfect game to kick off Microsoft's Annual Xbox Live Arcade House Party.

5/5

Review copy provided by publisher.

Brunswick Pro Bowling Review

Brunswick Pro Bowling isn't a strike but it is definitely not a gutterball.



Crave has created a "realistic" bowling game that not only makes you feel like your at your local bowling alley but it's also alot of fun. Thats not to say it doesn't have its occasional problems.



Brunswick Pro Bowling Features
•Full support for Xbox 360 Kinect
•Compete on 6 highly detailed bowling environments, each with unique characteristics
•Roll on 5 different game play settings including: Exhibition, Online, League, Tournament, and the Spares Challenge
•Customize your bowler in authentic Brunswick gear like shirts, shoes, and bowling balls
•Kid-friendly bumper bowling option makes it fun for all ages



Brunswick Pro Bowling has 5 different game modes. Exhibition is your standard quickplay option for those of you who just want to jump into a quick game and have some fun. For those of you who want to create a bowler and and work your way up from a local bowler to member of the PBA tour then Career mode is what you are looking for.

Once you start career mode you begin by creating your character. There are four characters models to choose from for both male and female bowlers. Each of the bowlers has their own stats ranging from strength to how much hook they can put on a ball. Players can purchase new shirts, pants, hats, glasses, and bowling balls to customize their bowler in the Pro Shop, once they have earned enough money from competing in leagues or tournaments.

After players have created their bowler in career mode they then have four modes to choose from leagues, tournaments, practice, and rivals.

Leagues have players creating a team of two or four players, depending on which league you choose, and competing against other teams to accumulate as many points as possible across a set number of weeks. Leagues can take awhile to play especially if you are the only person playing on a four player team. You can skip your cpu teamates and opponents but it can be a bit of a pain, having an option to always skip would have been a nice addition.

Tournaments have players competing against other opponents one-on-one for a money prize until there is only one person left.

Rival mode pits the player one on one against a selected rival. The winner takes home a cash prize.

Practice mode is exactly what it says it is, but the best way to practice is in a mode called Spare Challenge. In Spare Challenge the player is presented with increasingly difficult spares to pick-up. Getting good at this mode definitely helps increase the players skills across all bowling modes.

Coming in first in any of the modes unlocks more challenges and modes of play to choose from. Each of the modes increases the difficulty of your opponents and changes the conditions of the lanes oil patterns. The oil pattens vary from slight to extreme. The amount of lane oil is determined by color. Green represents light oil; yellow represents medium oil; red represents heavy oil. The amount of lane oil will drastically change the way you bowl on a certain set of lanes, making you change your bowl and equipment for the challenge ahead.

The sound is one of the games biggest weak spots. The ball rolling on the lane and the sound of the pins both sound "realistic", but the music is just average. The music isn't good or bad, it just feels tacked on. The ambient sounds are the same way, but if your playing them with a group of friends you probably wont notice them either way.

Online matches consist of 1-4 players, with the top scoring bowler winning the match. While it can be alot of fun bowling against players online the lack of online leagues and/or tournaments really hurts the online replayability.

PROS
•Perfect for the Family
•Online Play
•Plenty of Game Modes

CONS
•Occasional Problems Releasing the Ball
•No Online Leagues
•Average Music
•Menu Navigation







OVERALL

Brunswick Pro Bowling takes everything you love about bowling from the leagues to the tournaments and packages it into a fun and family-friendly package. Despite it's few flaws it is by far the best bowling game for the Kinect. The "Pro Tour" and "World Tour" modes will keep you busy for a long time, as well as trying to unlock every item. Every family and bowling fan should own Brunswick Pro Bowling.

3/5

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Beyond Good and Evil HD Review

One of the best games in the last 10 years is finaly getting a second chance.

Originaly released during the 2003 holiday season, Beyond Good and Evil was unfortunately overlooked due to an over-saturated release schedule. Even though it won many awards and was nominated for "Game of the Year", gamers were just to busy with other games to give Jade and her companions the love and attention they deserved.

Now, 8 years later, gamers have finally been given a chance to redeem themselves.


Beyond Good and Evil HD follows the story of Jade, a young photo photojournalist and care-taker of children who have been orphaned by repeated attacks from the DomZ. When Jade runs out of money to run the shield that protects the children, she has to take on a photography job, which eventually gets her recruited by the IRIS Network. The Iris Network is an underground rebellion which suspects that the Alpha Sections, who are in charge of protecting the citizens of Hillys, are actually behind planet-wide disappearances.

The story itself is worth the price of the game alone, but what really makes this game stand out is its gameplay. When you try to catoragize what kind of game BG&E is, its impossible. It mixes almost every genre from action and adventure to racing and platforming, but best of all it pulls off everyone of these perfectly. The racing controls are tight and responsive. The combat is fast and smooth, making it easy to fend of multiple opponents at once. The only problems are slight camera issues and they are so small that they are almost not worth mentioning.

Beyond Good & Evil looks as good as it plays. After nearly 10 years the game is still beautiful and now with full widescreen support and HD graphics it looks even better. Cities feel alive with citizens freely walking around and interacting with the player, oceans are filled fish and breaching whales, birds flutter across the open sky, caves are filled with plant life and all sorts of creepy-crawlers, and everyone of this things is beautifully animated. The quality of animation rivals most animated movies. It's that good.

The voice acting is top-notch. Every characters lines are delivered perfectly and believably, making you care for each of the characters. The soundtrack is incredible and is one of the most rememorable parts of the game. The piano theme gives a warm feeling of home, while the reggae music that plays at "MAMAGO Garage" gives the mechanics a fun vibe that matches their personalities. Combining the music with the voice acting brings the game to life and gives it a history and it is still one of gamings best worlds to visit.

PROS
•Great Story
•Fantastic Voice Acting
•Immersive World
•Varied Gameplay
•Incredible Music

CONS
•It Has To End
•Very Minor Camera Issues

OVERALL

Beyond Good & Evil is one of the best games ever made and now its the best game on Xbox Live Arcade. Collecting all the orbs and power up hidden around the world will keep you busy long after the story ends. If you never got around to playing this game the first time around, you owe it to yourself to pick this game up. Maybe with enough support this game will finally get the sequel it deserves.

5/5

Review copy provided by the Publisher

Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime Review

There is no fun, only Zuul.

Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime is a top down twin-stick shooter released as an arcade title for Xbox Live Arcade. Sanctum of Slime is developed by Behavior formerly known as Wanako Games, of Assault Heroes fame.

Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime Features
•Choose to play as any of the new Ghostbusters crew
•Immerse yourself in the fight against the paranormal – battle ghosts in sewer tunnels, cemeteries and more
•Gain new weapons to increase your ghostbusting gear
•Ride in the all new ECTO-4WD as you battle evil ghosts
•Combine weapon attacks with your teammates to increase the power of your attacks
•Up to 4 player co-op multiplayer

The single player story, or lack of, is presented through comic book style strips with speech bubbles that anyone is going to have a hard time reading on almost any TV. In game dialogue is handled the same way making it even more impossible to read, especially when the screen is filled with ghosts and proton streams, so even if you could read them you wouldn't have a chance to because of all the action going on at any given time. With a brand new crew of ghostbusters you would think spoken dialogue would have been top priority.

New Ghostbusters? Thats right, you take control of one of four new ghostbuster recruits, all of which who are basically emulating an iconic ghostbusters personality but end up paling in comparison to the originals. This is a huge disappointment for fans of the films or 2009's excellent, Ghostbusters: The Video Game, developed by Terminal Reality.

So the there are new Ghostbusters and the story isn't that great, atleast its fun right? Right?

If you are playing single player the answer is definitely no. Once you hit level ten the game becomes next to impossible to finish playing solo. The AI goes from helpful to down right useless. In early levels if you are brought down by ghosts and need to be revived the AI would deal with the threat and revive you but after you hit level ten and get downed all three AI controlled teammates will stop what they are doing and try to revive you which always leads to the death of everyone and makes you want to stop playing.

Luckily the game has 4 player online co-op. unfortunately it doesn't have drop-in/drop-out co-op.

The gameplay is exactly the same from level to level. The player enters a room that then locks behind them that then must be cleared of all ghosts using one of three different colored proton pack weapons(red, blue, and yellow) that must be used to defeat the ghost of the same color before they can move onto the next room. Rinse and repeat and you have an idea of what the whole game is like.

There are a few levels in which you get to ride on the back of new ECTO-4WD and bust ghosts but after a few minutes of doing the samething over and over again you will want it to end.

PROS
•4 player online co-op
•Sound

CONS
•Co-op doesn't have drop-in/drop-out
•Becomes extremely difficult towards the end
•AI Teammates



OVERALL

If you have 800 MS Points($10) to waste, hold on to them, the game just isn't worth it. While it can be fun with three friends the fun will disappear after a few levels. If you are looking for authentic Ghostbusters game you should pick up 2009's Ghostbusters: The Video Game and stay far away from Sanctum of Slime.

Review copy provided by the Publisher.
2/5

Man vs. Wild Review

Does Bear Grylls have the survival skills to survive console gaming?

Crave Games gives gamers a chance to live like Bear Grylls from Discovery Channels, Man vs. Wild. Players will be dropped off in extreme wildlife conditions and will have to trap animals, eat bugs, build shelters and even fight dehydration in the Sahara Desert. It makes for great t.v., but how is it as a game?

Man vs. Wild Features
•Explore the harshest enviroments on Earth as world renowned survival expert Bear Grylls
•Use actual survival techniques and gain survival knowledge for real life situations
•Take on the toughest Mother Nature has to offter including unpredictable weather, wild animal encounters and vast landscapes
•Experience massive variety from numerous Survival Challenges, 100's of collectables, unlockable content and achievements to earn
•Traverse the most treacherous terrain, build shelter, hunt for food - all while maintaining Bears vital signs

Man vs. Wild The game has a total of 6 stages to complete. The first level, Base Camp, acts as your tutorial level. Base Camp will teach you how to do everything you need to know to survive in the wild, from building shelter, catching fish with your bare hands, and even skydiving. Once Base Camp has been completed you will then have 5 episodes to choose from: Rocky Mountains, The Everglades, The Sahara, A Deserted Island, and Patagonia.

After being dropped off by airplane at the start of each episode you will be given a set of Mission Objectives that can be accessed at anytime by pressing Up on the D-pad. There are two types of objectives to complete. The main Missioin Objectives are what you have to complete in order to survive to make it to the extraction point. These objectives can be anything from navagating a raging river to seeking shelter in a sandstorm. The Secondary Objectives can range from finding all the wild animals in the Rocky Mountains to finding all the sunken boats in the Everglades. Once the objectives are complete you will earn badges and unlock bonus content, which is just clips and photos from the television show.

On your quest for survival Bear will be able to find things in the wilderness that he will be able to use as tools to help in survive. Bear will be able to spear fish by combining a birds beak with a stick, make snow shoes by tying sticks together or making a torch to see in dark caves. By adding this simple element to the game it not only breaks up the tedium of getting from point A to point but also helps to immerse the player in the game.

As you accomplish tasks and collect things you will gain experience points to level up Bear Grylls. Once you obtain a new level you will be given a choice to upgrade things like Bears hydration level or to be able to survive in certain weather conditions for a longer period of time. This also helps to unlock videos, photos that can be viewed at the main menu.

The graphics are probably the games biggest downfall. While the graphics aren't terrible they definately aren't the best. The game looks like a high end original Xbox game although some of the textures look like they are from the PS1 era and also has some occasional screan tearing. The game also has its moments when the visuals just work, like while climbing a mountain side in the Rockies during a thunderstorm. The rain makes the rock look very slick and dangerous making the player a little more cautious. Unfortunately the bad out wiegh the good.

When it comes to the controls they are simple. Maybe a little to simple. Almost every action Bear performs is through quick time events. While it works very well most players would prefer to fight off an attack by a cobra or a puma themselves rather than watch it play out through button prompts that appear on the screen. While the controls may be a little simple they are very responsive letting the player perform tasks very fluidly.


The sound in the game gets the job done but it has nothing that is memorable. Everything sounds like its suppose to. Forests have the sounds of wildlife, deserts have the roaring sounds of sandstorms, the rumbling sound of an active volcano. Everything sounds real and believable but its just nothing that players haven't heard before. Where the sound really shines is the commentary that Bear Grylls provides throughout each level. As a player ventures through each area Bear will guide you and tell you about area will interesting facts and humor and really makes the game feel like an espisode of the television show. At the end of each episode you will be given a quiz on the info that Bear provided during his commentary for a chance to earn extra experience points. Overall the sound gets the job done.

PROS
•Captures the spirit of the show nicely
•Bear Grylls narration
•Lots a variety.
•Good amount of collectables and unlockables.

CONS
•Graphics
•Only 6 Levels
•The levels are to linear

OVERALL

While Man vs. Wild: The Game may be more geared towards fans of the show alot of fun can still be had if you can overlook a few of the gameplay and graphical flaws. Man vs. Wild: The Game may not be the perfect game but it does give us plenty of things we haven't seen before and that alone should be enough to make people pick it up.

3/5


Review copy provided by the Publisher.

The Witcher 2 52 and a Half

If you are as excited for the Witcher 2 on Xbox 360 as we are, then you will want to sit back and get to know the mysterious Geralt of Rivia in this new short put together by CDProjekt using The Witcher 2's REDengine.

Mass Effect 3: Resurgence Pack

Bioware has announced that on April 10th, new multiplayer DLC will be available for the very low price of free.



"Join the war for Earth in Mass Effect 3! Owners of Mass Effect 3 can download the first multiplayer expansion for no additional cost. The Mass Effect 3 Resurgence Pack adds new unlockable content: deadly weapons, new consumables, and powerful characters for each class in multiplayer, including the Asari Justicar, Batarian, Geth, and Krogan Battlemaster. Additionally, the Mass Effect 3 Resurgence Pack also includes 2 new maps, Firebase Condor and Firebase Hydra. Download this pack on April 10th and take the battle online in the critically acclaimed Mass Effect 3 multiplayer experience."